


Love Takes Over

by ZeroGravityInq



Series: Love Takes [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Eventual babies via mpreg, M/M, Mellow!Harry, Most of the canon relationships intact, No Bashing, Sane!Voldemort, Sexy times written badly, Simplified politics because the writer is a hack, Sirius Lives, humor I guess, size difference kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-03-21 04:51:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13733526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeroGravityInq/pseuds/ZeroGravityInq
Summary: When love takes over it cannot be denied. Harry finds himself with a proposal from Voldemort and out of pure boredom takes it. There is nothing that can come from this, right?





	1. Chapter 1

There was little Harry could do in the face of such insanity. Everyone was yelling and no one was making sense. Molly was fighting both Minerva and Albus. Snape had squared up against Sirius with Remus jumping in to fight either of them. Arthur was trying to calm down Hermione with little success and Ron was pretty much fighting everyone else.

There was nothing Harry could do but turn and walk away.

As he left Dumbledore’s office, he mused on what had led to this insanity. As per usual, it was the Dark Lord’s fault.

* * *

It was a normal day at Hogwarts. Good breakfast, Hedwig visited him, Ron was devouring everything in sight….

And an unknown owl touched down with a letter for him.

The envelope was unremarkable and after casting a few detection spells at it, Harry decided to open it in midst of Hermione lecturing Ron on his horrible table manners.

 

_If you wish to end the war, Potter, Marry me. Reply if interested._

_Lord Voldemort_

 

Well…that was to the point, Harry mused. He could paly this a few ways. He could be terrified. He could be amused. He could be angry. What would give him the most amusement?

With Umbridge about and the few things he had that amused him gone, like Quidditch, what was wrong with taking things to their logical conclusion? If Old Snake Face wanted to marry him, well he could do it.

Snitching a quill and scrap of parchment from Seamus, Harry languidly wrote back.

 

_If you manage to get your pretty face again, I will consider it. I nominate Luna for Wedding Planner._

_Harry Potter_

 

With a bit of bacon to the owl and attaching the note, the owl was winging off into the crowd of owls. Harry had the thought that if Umbridge intercepts this one, he hoped she had a heart attack from it at the very least. More reasonable response is that she would probably assign more detention to him.

“Harry, what was that?” Hermione asked as breakfast ended and they headed to their first class.

“Hm? Oh, Voldemort proposed to me to end the war. Nothing big.” Harry replied.

* * *

 

And thus, the current predicament.  Harry shook his head as he made it to the Gargoyle, petting the head of the thing since he had bumped hard into it after Ron and Hermione had dragged him upstairs. Though, to be completely honest, he probably was more harmed than the gargoyle was.

Leisurely, he made his way to the entrance hall, sure that his first class, Potions, was canceled since Snape was busy fighting Sirius.

More time to muse.

He thought on why he was so chilled out. Sure, Voldemort proposing out of nowhere was a cause of concern but there was something about today. This day was just ridiculous for no reason so he didn’t mind that his responses were ridiculous.

“Are you ready for change, Harry?” Luna had appeared beside him, following his stroll. Didn’t she have class? Ah, it might be she had McGonagall and had free time. No matter.

“I am never ready for change, Luna. I have change thrust upon me,” Harry replied as they paused in the courtyard.

“The same can be said for greatness.”

A figure emerged from the shadow. Tall and lithe, the face of Tom Marvolo Riddle was a sight to behold. He looked barely outside of Hogwart’s age but possessed a timeless grace that immediately moved people away from him as he strode over to the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor pair.

Harry whistled lowly.

“Wow Tom, you clean up nice.”

“I take this moment to say you have a very good taste in men, Harry”

A sharp smile was their response from the red eyed man.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hold my beer.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry had to agree with Luna. He did have rather good taste. Tom was looking quite good for someone who was pushing 70. Dark wavy hair that barely brushed the nape of his neck. No wrinkles in sight on his face [Harry attributed that more to Tom being an unsmiling psychopath than anything else] and a taste for dark suits that toed the line of being wizardly and muggle.

Then there were the eyes surveying him.

“I didn’t think you would come so fast. Did the wards give you any trouble at all?” Harry remarked, stepping up to the Dark Lord.

“As my intentions are quite peaceful, not at all. Tell me, Potter, why is it you agreed so readily aside from your stipulations,” Voldemort’s head tilted lightly to the side as he stared unblinking at the boy savior before him, the accompanying 4th year ignored for now.

“You’ve always been interesting to me Tom, even through your insanity. Aside from you killing me outright, what reason do I have to say no? You already fulfilled one of my wishes and the fact that you didn’t take out Luna hints you might honor the other one.” Harry replied before adding, “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Expediency will work well in this case, Potter. The faster we get through with this marriage, the less…muckraking Dumbledore can dredge up and throw our way.” Voldemort explained, with a hand on Harry’s lower back to escort him back into the school, Luna skipping along behind them.

“I may be a little off right now but I doubt Dumbledore will allow you to just marry me and end your war that easily.”

“He has no choice as he has laid out all the tools necessary for me to take advantage since last year. By forcing you to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, he not only ceded his claim on being your guardian by putting you in objective danger and not putting up any dispute to your participation, by competing you have declared that you are an adult. Therefore, he has no right nor does your godfather have any right to dictate who you marry.” They moved swiftly through the halls and back to the familiar gargoyle amid Voldemort’s explanation.

“You must be horrible to play against in Scrabble,” Harry said, drawing a flat look from the older wizard which only made him grin. “So, I am an adult now. As cool as that is, what about people claiming you brainwashed me into going to the dark side?”

“Considering what is being written about you now, I don’t see the problem though that will die down once we are wed. I have nothing to do with this odd mellow mood of yours, no matter how beneficial it is to my plans. What is the password?” Voldemort sighed as they stopped in front of the gargoyle. Luna had skipped off elsewhere with a promise to talk to Harry later and to help him with a Shivylink Punk infestation leaking from his ears.

“Aw Tom, I thought I could blame you for all my weirdness.”

“Think again, Potter.”

“Fizzing Whizzbees. Well if my mellow isn’t coming from you, I wonder where it is coming from. But whatever, once you marry me, what are your plans then?” Harry looked over his shoulder at Voldemort. Some still sane part of him whispered that he shouldn’t show his back to such a prominent murderer but since that part didn’t speak up when he wrote back to Voldemort then Harry figured he can safely ignore it.

“We can discuss this later. Just be prepared to leave with me I they try to keep you here.”

“I need my OWLs, Tom.”

“Sadly, true but you don’t need to get them at Hogwarts. I can just hire some tutors for yo-“

“Bellatrix’s insane arse better not count as one or we will be getting a divorce before we even get married.”

“Here I am thinking you liked Barty.”

“Yeah aside from his weird tongue thing and trying to murder me.”

“Murder aside, what weird tongue thing?”

“He doesn’t do that around you? It was really-“

Then the door to Dumbledore’s office opened and there were at least 30 wands pointing at them.

It seemed that the Order of the Phoenix had arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my weird work hours are your gain. Have another chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day off today and sadly sober at the moment. Here is a non linear chapter before we jump back into the action for those who wondered over Voldemort's motives.

Lord Voldemort

Dark Lord

The Darkest Wizard Alive

He held many titles though there was one he had never considered or very much wanted.

Husband.

If you lived forever, what was the point of marrying and siring children?

One could argue that he could have children and when they are older, the can delegate bits of the world to them once he had grown bored of being God Emporer of the World but Tom Rid – er, Lord Voldemort – was never one to shirk micromanagement of his possessions.

Back to the point, Husband.

He had found some time between plotting the demise of his enemies, punishing minions and spoiling Nagini to read the Grimoire of the Family Slytherin that a minion – probably Lucius – had gifted him. Therein, aside from a multitude of family spells and curses and history not known to the world at large, was a checklist on how to become the Lord of the Slytherin Line. All this time, he was not a Lord as declared by family, the title inherited as he aged, but still a heir. It was easy to remedy, honestly.

He was to find a spouse, hilarious that it was non- gender specific but stressed that the spouse must be demi human at the least, and have children. Once that child was old enough to attend Hogwarts, they must be sorted into Slytherin and prove that they spoke parseltongue, again gender non-specific. Then and only then will he be able to claim the tile as Lord of the Slytherin family and all the benefits that came with it.

All this time, he was just the heir and only just barely as that if he had been sorted into Ravenclaw as the Hat had mused over, he would just be hair adjacent and ineligible to become Lord Slytherin just as his own mother, who didn’t even attend Hogwarts.

It was a bit upsetting to realize that she would have lived if she had gone to Hogwarts, attending for free as heir, the family magic would have sustained and fixed her until he became the heir apparent and made even better as she became Lady Slytherin.

But those are thoughts for another time.

The title of Lord Slytherin was more than just seats in the Wizengamot [which rose a brow with Voldemort who thought the Gaunts had sold all the seats but again, a thought for another time], but access to parselmagic exclusive to the head of family, the family magic that heals and sustains the Lord and authority over vassals from families that pledged allegiance to the Slytherin Family, not just in the literal sense as in the families had pledged to the Lord Slytherin of the day but every single student who was sorted into Slytherin.

As the house of ambition, that would be a great lot of talented and impressive people he would have sudden access to and loyalty from.

Lord Voldemort was intrigued.

So, his thoughts went down the garden path. Who would he marry to claim and have children with?

Most if not all of his followers are either insane, dead, married, straight or their personality leaves much much much to be desired [Severus immediately coming to mind but he fit in the straight category as well and aside from that he rather not sleep next to someone who would sooner stab him than kiss him]. He could marry Barty but given leave to do so the man would sooner call him ‘Daddy’ than ‘Husband’ and though that may be a kink for some, it wasn’t Lord Voldemort’s.

That left outside of the Death Eaters. The same problems came up unless he looked to the younger generation. As much as it would amuse him to order his minions to give up his children to marry him, to be honest, the great lot of them were spoiled brats that he would wind up killing within the week.

No, he needed someone strong. Pretty, ideally but more importantly had strength of character. The easy thing would be to marry a minion who would faun and submit to him but better would be someone who would argue with him and push him to do better.

Funnily Potter crossed his mind but like hell the boy would agree. He was quite pretty with those bloody green eyes of his and petite form but that was like putting pants on a bull – altogether a frustrating and pointless endeavor. He was Gryffindor through and through and wouldn’t consent to be the spouse of a ruler, a dictator if he was completely honest.

He started to scratch out a note to Potter as he mused on other potential suitors. Each one had an issue in some way and made his mind circle back to Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived.

At the very least, the idea amused him, marrying his enemy and if he chose the right binding, it could null and void the prophecy between them.

The idea picked up steam in Voldemort’s mind. He had heard from Lucius that Potter spoke parseltongue and that had kept his interest out of anything else. Not matter how the boy had managed to get that skill, it was a stronger chance it would be passed down onto any children they would have with both parents speaking it.

Potter was young and headstrong yet malleable, Severus’ reports aside, given information and pointed in the right direction, Potter could be molded into the perfect spouse. Very Gryffindorean but with subtle Slytherin qualities. The glances he had with Potter’s mind through their odd connection, the boy was far more than what he seemed and that piqued Lord Voldemort’s interest more than anything else.

Looking at his hand, he had written over a page of his thoughts on Potter. That would not do. Vanishing the words, he decided to keep it simple. A one-line note and his signature, he went to find an owl to send to Potter. If the boy said no, he could pursue other avenues.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, Harry was at a crossroads.

30 or so Order members. One Dark Lord. One Boy Savior.

There are many ways this could go one being that the Order took out him and Voldemort and he wound up being subjected to truth serum, lectures and ‘healing’. Another is that Voldemort pretty much kills everyone in this room and Harry would have to be a fugitive after this with the weight of the death of his friends and left-over family on his shoulders.

Or.

“Wow, we are going to need a lot of seats for the wedding.”

He could play stupid. The unimpressed look Voldemort shot him wasn’t too deterring and quite frankly, a little funny.

“Harry, step away from Tom.”

There came Dumbledore though he hadn’t heard him speak so coldly before. Harry shook his head with a smile.

“Sorry Headmaster, I rather not. I just came here to say my piece then leave. I have homework after all. 4 feet in Charms, right Hermoine?” Harry said, still relaxed. Hermoine flinched at the mention of her name but kept her wand steady.

“Did you let V-voldemort in Harry? Please tell me you didn’t!”

“Indeed not, Miss Granger.” Voldemort stepped forward, more wands pointed to him as he subtly shoved Harry behind him. “My intentions are peaceful. I asked Harry’s hand in marriage earlier today and I came to learn of his further stipulations and when does he want the wedding. We will probably meet for an hour at most then he had class assuming that his teachers aren’t going to stay here as an unneeded and unwanted guard.”

Voldemort’s eyes passed over McGonagall, who bristled, and Snape, who seemed to lose a bit of color.

“He is just a child! He shouldn’t be marrying anyone, much less you!” Molly cried.

“Funny you say that since as a pureblood you know that most betrothals happen when those involved are children and are usually married at 18, 14 at the earliest. Also, where was the protests when Harry was entered in the TriWizard Tournament? When he was hauled before a full Wizengamot trial? Nonetheless, he is now an adult in the eyes of the law after participating in the tourney and no one raised a fuss about it. Therefore, if he wishes to marry me, it’s his prerogative.” Voldemort did not raise his voice but it didn’t cut through the tension at all.

“Well...that’s pretty much it. Going to chit chat with Tom for a bit, do my homework, head to detention, the usual. Any questions?” Harry said cheerily.

There were a lot more questions.

* * *

 

“Sweet merlin, I thought they would never let us leave.” Harry sighed as he flopped down onto a squashy couch that the Room of Requirement conjured for him. Voldemort let out a similar sigh but sat with far more decorum on the conjured armchair.

“Can you blame them, Harry? Marrying Voldemort out of nowhere and declaring yourself as an adult. I am still reeling myself.” Hermione admonished as she took a seat on Harry’s bum, drawing a muffled ‘hey!’ from the boy savior.

“Milord, you surely didn’t think it would be this simple?” Snape was posted up by the door or rather where the door was.

“Indeed. My vote is still for eloping, Harry.”

“But think of how funny it would be if we just invited everyone and had a huge tacky wedding!” The flat look Voldemort shot him was well worth the near chirping Harry had to do.

After the kerfuffle [re: interrogation] in Dumbledore’s office, the four of them were excused to work out the marriage contract. Hermione since she could keep her temper and would work towards the betterment of wizardkind and Snape because Voldemort demanded him to be there. Also, Luna slipped in the room. No one knew how she got there.

Harry knew that he ruffled some feathers by demanding that Ron, Molly, Dumbledore and Sirius were not in attendance but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He wanted to start this marriage as it meant to go on – relatively peaceful.

“Aside from what you put in your note, Harry, what else do you wish.” Voldemort finally looked at Harry and, sensing the serious of the wizard’s words, Harry moved Hermione off him and sat properly.

“Well, it’s not a long list. No attacking muggles and muggleborns. Rein your followers in so they don’t terrorize people they don’t like…and can we get a dog? I would nominate Sirius but I feel he would sooner bite you than heel.” Harry replied, getting a dreamy smile and nod from Luna.

“Harry! You can ask for more than that!”

“But taking advantage of his kindness now will just result in nothing gained. It’s really better to ask for the big things now and then mellow him out to the smaller things like human and non-human rights and such later.” Harry said bluntly, looking at his friend who flushed.

“How very Slytherin of you, Potter,” Snape chimed in from the entrance.

“I would have been in Slytherin if Malfoy wasn’t such an unmitigated dick.  Honestly, I would re-sort into the house if he and his cronies and you didn’t continue to be such a dick to me.” Harry said baldly, this time getting a laugh from Voldemort.

“I agree with Severus that you are quite Slytherin at times but the Gryffindor need to say what is on your mind bluntly is admirable as well.” Voldemort sat uo properly, conjuring a quill and parchment and banishing it over to Hermione with a flick of his wand, who caught it, startled. “Miss Granger, take down Harry and my own wants for the contract. Naturally we will have a lawyer draw it up before the wedding but it’s good to have a starting point.”

“When are you getting married, neither of you said,” Hermione muttered, already scribbling down what Harry had said earlier after she drew a vertical line down the parchment indicating Harry’s wants and Voldemort’s wants.

“I would love for it to be this Christmas.” Harry said brightly.

“Yule would be ideal however it does depend on when you would want to be pregnant while taking your OWLs or not.” Voldemort replied.

“Why do I have to be Mummy?” Harry shot back with a pout. Voldemort contemplated if he was losing his mind again because he found that pout quite…cute.

“As you aren’t protesting the male pregnancy part of it, I assume that you have some knowledge on how same sex couples may go about having children,” Voldemort said, garnering a nod from Harry.

“Kind of. I just figured ‘magic’ and left it at that.”

“You are both wrong and right. It is magic but also partly genetics Wizards are genetically coded to carry young. Granted, it isn’t as easy as it would be if one of us were a witch or on the weaker end of the power spectrum, it is possible. The child is formed by the combined magic of the parents and sustained by the magic of the ‘mother’. The reason why I nor Severus or muggleborn wizards cannot carry the children because we have one non-magical parent. Muggle men aren’t born with this ability thus it isn’t passed down to their progeny. As a halfblood with two magical parents, even though one is a muggleborn, you do have the ability to carry children.” Voldemort explained, his tone very much reminding Harry of McGonagall when she was going over transfiguration theory.

“What about male squibs and what if a wizard decides to be straight and not carry children?” Hermione interjected.

“Squibs don’t have the magic to sustain the pregnancy even if their partner is magically strong. Remember, it’s not only the ability to have children but also magic is what sustains the fetus. As for heterosexual men, there is a potion available to remove the ability much like a woman can get a hysterectomy. Granted it’s not 100% foolproof but if the man is completely committed to the opposite sex then he should have no problems and unplanned pregnancies.” Voldemort finished off his explanation.

“Wow, magic is really cool.” Harry said softly, with a small smile. He hadn’t committed yet to being straight or gay but looking back on where his eyes have wandered, he had found both sexes appealing from Tom Riddle, to Cedric Diggory, to Cho Chang. Looking back, most of the people he admired were buys but he honestly wouldn’t admire a pretty girl.

“Yes, it is.” Voldemort smiled softly for a moment, stunning Hermione and Snape before continuing. “Getting back to the point, I am for marrying this winter although you being 5 months along during your OWLs would be problematic.”

“What if Harry has a doctor examine him before he has his OWLs and if it’s unsafe, he can just not sit them then and take them after the babies are born at the Ministry?” Luna offered from her seat on the floor next to Snape.

“I can live with that though waiting for the child to be born would put me a bit later than my peers, wouldn’t it?” Harry sighed.

“You could take 6th year off then return 7th year to sit your NEWTs. That way, you have a year to be a parent full time and I can hire tutors for you so you can remain level with your classmates.” Voldemort offered.

“Potter doesn’t have the work ethic or grades to do that.” Snape declared flatly.

“I hate to agree with Professor Snape but he is right, Harry,” Hermione said quietly.

“The only class I am flunking right now are DADA, History, Divination and Potions and all of those amount to the teachers involved being either incompetent or total dicks to me.” Harry retorted. Aside from those, I am in the E range for all my other classes.”

“That’s good to know. For now, let’s pencil in a winter wedding. If you can’t stay in school afterwards, private tutoring can still happen even if it’s more to get you at the same level as your peers.” Voldemort conceded, feeling an argument brewing between his future spouse and schoolmate and teacher.

“Fine. How many children do you want?”

“An heir and a spare is fine with me.”

“I want three.” Harry smiled at Voldemort’s startled look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the main plot. If anyone wants me to include what they talked about in the office, I can include it in a later chapter. I just felt that it would throw off the relatively chill tone.


	5. Chapter 5

_I want three._

His first response was to go ‘Gods why??’

His second response was to accuse Potter of wanting to kill him.

His third response was to smile and swiftly move on.

So that what he did.

As they discussed more and more requests and qualifiers [‘No, Harry, we are not going to have 5 dogs. Just one. Only one. Do you understand me?’], that simple statement circled and circled around Voldemort’s mind.

_I want three._

It wasn’t an extravagant number of children like the Weasleys and it did allow for the heir and spare that Voldemort wanted. It was just…why three?

He turned the thought over and over in his mind, chasing it like a dog would its tail until he felt hands lightly patting his face. He blinked and looked into softly amused green eyes.

“You really don’t need to think that deeply, Tom.”

And so, he didn’t.

* * *

2 hours later they finished the preliminary of the contract and Hermione hustled off to the library, both her and Harry given a free day to deal with the sudden proposal from Voldemort. Snape was supposed to stay and escort Voldemort off the grounds but a stern word from the Dark Lord, the man left to prepare for his next class. Luna had left some time ago to chase another mythical creature.

Thus, left Voldemort and Harry.

They walked the halls of Hogwarts, silent in their own contemplation.

Well at least, for a bit.

“Tom, I have a question.”

“Ask it.”

Harry flushed a little before powering on. “Well, you seemed pretty sure that we would go on honeymoon and I will wind up immediately pregnant. Why is tha-“

Harry went immediately quiet as Voldemort looked at him. He suddenly remembered that red was not only the color of rage but also…lust.

Slowly, as if to not startle the boy, Voldemort stepped closer, a hand coming up to cup Harry’s cheek. Harry’s breathing picked up as the man leaned closer, that handsome face filling his vision. Before their lips touched, he closed his eyes.

Like fireworks going off in his mind, the kiss was all the clichés written in trashy romance stories. Scorching hot, Harry wasn’t sure who moaned but he was sure he was suddenly pressed to the wall of the 2nd floor corridor. The lean body pressed against his only spiked his desire to dizzying heights as the hand he had pressed to Voldemort’s chest curled into a fist.

He let out a soft whimper as Tom pulled away, both gasping for air. A softer close mouth kiss was pressed to his lips.

The older wizard smirked.

“That’s how I know.”

* * *

Late that night, ensconced in the curtains of his four-poster bed, Harry thought.

A question he was getting a lot of today was why? Why change his life so drastically? Why marry the wizard who murdered his parents? Why have children? Why is he so chill about everything?

As the day had been, things were at a crossroads.

He could yell and rage and angst over it. He could be depressed. His life so far leads down those paths. It would be expected of him as he had been repeatedly yelled at to do today.

But what if he went a different way? What if he grabbed what little happiness was presented to him?

Some might argue complacency but they didn’t know him. They didn’t know what he had to do to survive living with the Dursleys and quite frankly, he didn’t feel like explaining it to them. What he learned during the Triwizard Tournament was that he was pretty much on his own and there was nothing wrong with being selfish because if he didn’t speak up for himself, no one will.

He never asked to be the selfless hero and he was going to stop doing so.

That said, he wasn’t going to avoid not asking for things that can better the world.

As he told Hermione, he did ask in the marriage contract for the big things – Voldemort not terrorizing muggles and muggleborns and to rein in the Death Eaters – and will mellow the man out to it later. From Voldemort’s explanation of how his family magic worked, the man was already halfway there from the reasoned and even-handed way he handled the Order of the Phoenix even when Dumbledore was getting on his last nerve.

He wasn’t sure as to what Dumbledore was up to but until he does something to actively put Harry in danger, he can pretty much ignore the old man.

Back to Voldemort, the man was sane now and…a good kisser. Harry’s cock certainly agreed, giving a twitch at the memory of the kiss they shared in the hallway. Bleeding hell that was hot!

He wouldn’t mind too much having babies if that meant he would get more kisses like that in the future.

With that thought and a wank, Harry turned in for the night.

* * *

Far and away from Hogwarts, the Dark Lord sat upon his throne as he waited for his Death Eaters to appear.

So much had changed in the span of a week, the conclusion being the past day. Potter was the major difference he hadn’t expected.

The boy was far too mellow despite the panic Voldemort had inflicted earlier this year from the visions that he sent the boy. He knew Potter hadn’t advanced in Occlumency because Severus, despite being a Potions and Defense prodigy, couldn’t teach his way out of a paper bag in arts that require nuance and patience, especially someone he disliked.

He was tempted to make a swipe at Potter’s mind to see why he was just so complacent but he thought it was best not to destroy the admittedly shaky trust they are fostering for this marriage.

Just committing to get married and have children was fueling the family magic more, healing his sanity and making him see the way he went about conquering the wizarding world was wrong.

He could even admit that he really wasn’t doing much conquering in the last few years of the war, just spreading terror and cutting down the wizarding world’s already low numbers. He had to do something about that. He wasn’t turning into a muggle lover, no amount of sanity can change that, but he really thought they were at a better advantage if their numbers were large, far larger than they were now.

As he finished that thought, the last of his Death Eaters arrived and the time to correct his failings were here.

He stood with all the grace of a panther and stalked forward to edge of the dais, the room silent in anticipation.

“My loyal Death Eaters…I now declare us disbanded.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who are like 'omg is harry going to turn dark or try to convert voldemort or something crazy is going to happen later???', this is for you. It's not that deep my dudes. I contemplated doing a double chapter since I got this done yesterday morning. I have 5 more hours of work so we shall see. Thanks for the reviews so far.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Tom being a long winded asshole who lead to this chapter taking forever and a pure ass slytherin move that is not how actual law works but it will work because this is fanfiction and I am not a lawyer even in my best dreams. If you get in trouble kids hire an actual lawyer, mmmk?

Voldemort waited for the initial outcry to die down, mildly amused that it took for the lot to realize that they were essentially yelling at their lord, The Dark Lord no less, and to go silent in fear.

“If you all are done, you will grant the patience to listen to my explanation.” Voldemort said with a wry note in his voice, the Death Eaters paralyzed with fear of an imminent punishment.

“When I was far younger, I had ambitions to revolutionize the wizarding world. I viewed the Wizarding World as stagnant and I still believe it is. As much as I despise muggles even when I was young, they have advanced far beyond our own status quo – making advancements in technology, science and even going to the Moon and other planets while we remain on earth and study the stars from afar. There are billions of muggles, 5.7 billion exactly, worldwide while wizards barely crest over 100 thousand in this country alone. Magic is dying and we are doing nothing but increasing the speed of its death.

There are many symptoms to this illness – the influx of muggleborns, the lax enforcement of the Statute of Secrecy, the banning of rituals and holidays, the staggering and dropping birthrate and admittedly, things that this very organization has caused – the spilling of magical blood. At the beginning, I had ideals of fixing and stopping the problems that plague us today but quite frankly, I have led to the latter and the erasure of powerful bloodlines and death of talented witches and wizards is completely my fault. Therefore, I am disbanding the Death Eaters.

As we stand now, we are a terrorist group. We may delude ourselves into thinking that attacking political opponents, torturing a murdering muggleborns, opposing Dumbledore is keeping the death of magical culture at bay. It’s not. It will not. So, we stop. Going back to where we started, where I started. I am sure you heard rumors of the Knights of Walpurgis. That was the political group I started in my final years of Hogwarts, training the best into being better and swaying those to our cause with soft words and reasoned arguments. No murder, no torture, just debate. That is what I will head now.

Those who wish for change, to become powerful, to preserve tradition, follow me. Those who wish to just terrorize others then do so but you will no longer under my banner.“

* * *

 

The following week was a thing of change among the Knights of Walpurgis. Plans made, research gathered and Tom got very little sleep through it all.

Finally, the time came.

With Lucius on one side and Wormtail bound and gagged before him, Tom apparated to the Ministry of Magic.

Walking right past the security wizard and down down down to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Tom Riddle stepped up to the office of Amelia Bones and just as she was stepping out of her office and declared.

“My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, formerly Lord Voldemort and I demand a just hearing.”

* * *

 

The newspapers went wild.

_**THE DARK LORD YOU KNOW WHO DEMANDS TRIAL** _

_**PETER PETTIGREW HANDED OVER ALIVE** _

_**SIRIUS BLACK CLEARED OF CHARGES** _

_**HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED INSISTS ON OPEN TRIAL** _

_**OPEN TRIAL OF YOU KNOW WHO TO BE HELD ON HOGWARTS GROUNDS ON NOVEMBER 30 st AT 2 PM** _

* * *

 

“Are you ready for this, Tom?”

The former lord Voldemort looked up at his future spouse, amused. For once, the boy looked worried. He didn’t blame the lad much. After all the DMLE had bound tom with chains upon chains upon chains heavily warded and locked so much so that if he was a lesser wizard, he could barely breathe. But, being who he is, it was barely a tickle and he could frankly break out of it anytime.

“I would savor this moment Harry for you are about to see a master Slytherin at work.”

* * *

 

It really was a good idea to hold the trial in open air, Tom mused. It seemed that all the wizarding world was out in full force. Good, there will be little need to explain himself twice.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle, formerly Lord Voldemort, head of the Death Eaters, you are brought before the Wizarding Courts of Great Britain on charges of Arson, Assault, Murder, Kidnapping, Torture, Crimes against the Crown, Extortion, Illegal Gathering of a Militia, Terrorism, Illegal Conjuration of Inferus, Use of all three Unforgivable Curses, Illegal Rituals, Embezzling, not paying taxes and uncountable crimes against humanity. How do you plead?”

“Not Guilty.”

The roar of the crowd was deafening, Aurors having a hellish time keeping everyone contained, Tom didn’t react to any of it, a small smile on his lips. Aurors aside, he knew his knights will protect him and they did, stunning the louder and belligerent of protesters.

“Please continue, Mr. Riddle.” Madam Bones finally said after the crowd had quieted down.

“Very well Madame Bones. From the time a graduated Hogwarts until 2 weeks ago when I requested this hearing, I have not been in my right mind. Denied my heritage as the lone heir of Salazar Slytherin, I was not able to access the family magic, not able to counteract the loss of sanity that is a marked sign of my mother’s family, the Gaunts. I am naturally working on reversing that, currently I am in the works to claim the title of Lord Slytherin.

Now as to my declaration of non-guilt and how I will not be held by the DMLE, is that in my claiming of the title Lord Slytherin, I have access to the family influences. That includes seats. The Gaunts may have sold off their seats and quite a few Slytherin riches but the seats of the founders, as long as Hogwarts exists, are not for sale and are always bound to the bloodline.”

“One or two or even 15 seats are not enough to keep you out of trouble, Mr. Riddle.”

“By show of hands, how many lords and ladies here were sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts?” Tom asked casually. Sure enough, a very strong percentage of the Wizengamot and those not currently sitting on panel, raised their hands. Tom smirked and continued.

“Slytherin is the house of Ambition and Cunning. A grandson of Salazar Slytherin snuck in a clause of the very backbone of our laws that the house you are sorted in makes you a vassal of that family. A vassal, for the uninformed, is a servant of that family and what is theirs is in service to the main family. So every single person who raised their hands is considered a vassal of House Slytherin, my house. By my right as heir and future Lord, I officially use your seats to clear myself and those under my protection free of all charges.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As many ficts out there with Harry inheriting like 50 gajillion monies and all the houses and like basically is a god emporer of the earth [which he won't abuse since his is too pure 4 dis world] , I have seen only one where Voldemort does the same [Read Benefits of Old Laws. It's good shit] and dammit, Tom being slytherin even if he is bullshitting and the writer is bullshitting is an underused trope and fucking shit i need it


	7. Chapter 7

“Say what you will but Voldemort has style.” Sirius admitted grimly as they watched from Gryffindor tower as Tom managed the press and their unending questions with grace. Of course there were people demanding his death and to all of those that followed him but those people were quietly pulled aside after being subdued. 

“Yeah. I thought Dumbledore could pull off that kind of...bullshit but apparently I was wrong.”

“Your filter has disappeared and a part of me should worry but the teen in me thinks it’s awesome.” Sirius chuckled then sighed. “Are you really sure you want to marry him? I mean, now that he as pretty much pardoned himself and his followers so not sure what good marrying you will do.”

Harry thought on it, leaning on the balcony and watching as Tom worked his way through the crowd, somehow still managing to avoid Dumbledore. He should ask the wizard for lessons - dumbledore had become amazingly annoying, constantly asking him up to hi office until he finally put his foot down and told the Headmaster to politely fuck off [not worded that way but that was the gist]. Harry honestly thought that Dumbledore was getting that Harry was not here for his ‘greater good’ bull since he revealed during Voldemort’s initial visit that he had been abused by the Dursley’s [that was fun to see Molly lose her shit] and that even now Dumbledore did nothing as his precious boy was abused by Umbridge [Molly Loses Her Shit 2: Electric Boogaloo]. 

But that was irrelevant. The question was Voldemort. 

He supposed that yeah, there was no need for him to marry the ‘former’ Dark Lord, at least not so young. He figured if he went to Tom now and asked to put off the wedding for another year, the man would theoretically listen to him and do so. But, being completely honest, Tom would snog him into changing his mind. 

He realized that in the intervening weeks since that first meeting to today, exchanging owls, they had grown closer and he wasn’t too pressed to deny Tom’s want for them to get married soon as possible. 

That said…

“It is doing good since the more he is on the path to fulfilling the requirements to be Lord Slytherin, the less havoc he causes. I don’t mind getting married but maybe we can at least put off having children for a year or two. If what Hermione lectured me on is true, it takes both partners wanting children for babies to happen in gay couples, right?”

“Yeah…” Sirius still looked like he was still a bit upset and Harry leaned over and hugged his godfather. After a beat, the man hugged back. 

* * *

“I just wish you would have told me.”

Harry lounged on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. After Voldemort’s heel face turn and rather spectacular pardon of himself and the Death Eaters [now the Knights of Walpurgis if the Daily Prophet was to be believed], there was a wave a change through Hogwarts. Aside from the loud outing of Umbridge, the Slytherins were both the smuggest bastards out there or confused on how to treat Harry since he was going to marry their lord. As for the other houses, there was a wavering between horror, confusion, wariness and distrust but seeing as he was already treated like this for much of the year, Harry paid it no mind. 

The only thing was Ron. 

The ginger had taken to rage at Harry not only marrying ‘the worst sort of Slytherin’ but also leaving him out of the subsequent marriage negotiations - which got more intense since the first meeting. Harry highly enjoyed Hermione hexing Snape. - and not telling him of the Slytherin move that Voldemort managed to pull off. 

Harry humed to show he was listening before closing his book and looking into the blue eyes of his first friend. “I could have, yes. But what was the point? You come to your own conclusion and make up your own opinions. I am sticking to my choice to follow down the path of least resistance and if that bothers you, then why bother being friends?”

“I am your friend, Harry!”

“News to me. You’ve been a jealous asshole off and on since last year and I just don’t have the energy to deal with your mood swings. I am marrying Tom, having kids with him, nothing you can do. Either you leave me my peace or you are like the other idiots judging me for nothing that has anything to do with you.” Harry said flatly, going back to his book and ignoring as the redhead stormed away.

* * *

Harry was a little late. For once, not late to class but late leaving the library. He was enjoying the classes that Barty was teaching, another compromise the Voldemort had managed to pull off with Lucius’ connections and replace Umbridge, the argument being that Barty did very competently as the teacher in Harry’s 4th year and he would do well now. Dumbledore disagreed but no one was asking his opinion anyway.

Anyway, he was late. He stayed until the library closed to do some research and now its closed and the Gryffindor Tower was on the other side of the building. 

“Potter.”

Harry paused as he waited for Malfoy to catch up. He was wary but with his new motto of ‘do no harm, take no shit’ in place and a chat with Tom on dealing with the massive dick that is Draco Malfoy, he pretty much had a handle on things. 

“Malfoy.”

Malfoy stopped before him, surveying his rival. Harry stared back. 

“Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials,” Malfoy said in a carefully polite voice. 

“Thanks. Anything else because I am late to-”

“Why are you marrying the dark lord?!” Malfoy burted before flushing. Harry blinked at him. 

“Is it really that important to you?”he said after a beat. Malfoy flushed further. 

“I know he doesn’t look scary...by much anymore and he is trying to claim the Slytherin lordship but why agree to it? He killed your parents, why him?” Malfoy seemed to be bursting with a lot of questions and uncharastically was babbling a bit but Harry figured that this comes with his world being flipped on his head.

“Well, he asked me. I thought about it. I said yes. Mostly because being married to him grants me the ability to keep him from getting to crazy but also because I want to. I haven’t had a family since my parents died and now I am getting one. Yeah, it’s not the best person but he’s mine and that’s pretty much it.” Harry said with a shrug, leaving behind a dumbfounded Malfoy behind. 

He wasn’t sure why he was so honest with Malfoy but with Ron proving to be problematic, Hermione busy and distracted and Neville not much speaking to him since his grandmother pulled him from school, he needed an outlet. 

Who knows, maybe he just made a friend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a long note on this. Too long, didn't post: No bashing in this fict. Gay fucking next chapter. AO3 has some ridiculous trash posted here. I didn't use my lovely beta Microsoft Word 2016 so sentence structure is a lil off. Thanks for the reviews so far.


	8. Chapter 8

Tom woke up the morning of December 25th and realized...he was getting married today. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. On one hand, it was a step forward in his goals but another, he had been single for a very long time. 

So long that he wasn’t sure if becoming Lord Slytherin was worth it. 

His eyes drifted over to his bedside table. On it was a book of bound parchment. He had, at embarrassingly early time, started binding the letters Harry had sent him into a book so it was a bit easy to keep track. He even kept copies of the letters he wrote to Harry, alternating the pages. He figured he could give this to their children to tell the story of their ‘courtship’. 

Still a bit thrown that Harry wanted 3 children. 

His own hang ups aside, it seemed he was quite compatible with Harry. Though their likes weren’t similar, their minds ran in similar circles. Harry may not disdain muggles but he knew they could be dangerous [that conversation as to why still infuriated him to this day]. Harry loved flying - not so much Quidditch but flying itself. 

Tom promised himself to teach the boy how to fly without a broom. He would probably teach their children too and wasn’t that a thought. 

Finally getting up, he headed to the shower and had a few more thoughts. like that Harry was staying in the now refurbished Riddle Manor along with his friends, his godfather and a few of the Knights. Dumbledore tried for an invitation and Tom was getting ready to put his foot down but Harry came in and had a very beautiful response. 

_ “Funny, you didn’t ask to stay over and make sure I was alright at the Dursleys’. No, Headmaster. I am sure you have paperwork to do and are too busy for something so trivial if you can’t make sure your boy saviour is alright for 15 years.” _

If Tom wasn’t already about to marry Harry, he would have proposed right then. 

Another thing of interest was how subdued little Malfoy was. He had been warned by Severus that Harry and Draco fought each other a lot but honestly, the boy had been down right civil. Tom figured that the threat of garnering retribution from the Darkest Wizard Alive was enough to deter him from causing trouble. 

The flip side of that was the youngest Weasley boy who was very much sulking. His own family kept him from confronting Harry but the few times they didn’t manage to hold him back - and Tom was lucky enough to catch these moments - a very impressive cool look from Harry kept him at bay. 

Drying off and putting on some semi-casual robes, Tom headed downstairs to breakfast. The manor was quiet since most if not all of the guests were asleep as it was very early and the party raged very hard last night. 

Who knew drinking could bring people together? 

Nonetheless, Tom headed to the dining room and was a little startled that there was someone awake and already eating. 

Harry. 

The boy wasn’t eating too much, just eggs and toast but naturally the house elves - he bought a few off of Lucius and Harry had brought along this one weird one that he had freed from the elder Malfoys - had a full spread out. They rather liked Harry since his demands were simple and he was nice to them. 

“Good morning, Harry.”

“Morning, Tom,” Harry smiled at him and it was like his morning had gotten brighter. He wasn’t sure why but something about that smile, aimed directly at him, well…

Maybe this marriage thing wasn’t too bad. 

* * *

“Today, we witness the binding of Tom Marvolo Riddle and Harry James Potter, two hearts coming together and two houses becoming one. May their marriage be long and fruitful and that they may temper each others in times of…”

Harry was bored. 

This wedding was plodding on and on and they hadn’t even gotten to the proper handfasting part yet. He was so going to prod Tom for not letting them marry the muggle way since it was clearly shorter.

Well, at least he got to see Tom in Wedding Robes. Holy crap, why did the man look so elegant and handsome. It’s bad enough he had a jawline that could cut a diamond but like he filled out those robes really well like...something really filling. 

Harry’s brain was short circuiting a bit. 

It’s all Tom’s fault. When they were entering the ritual room from opposite ends of the hall, Tom had looked at him and smiled. Not smirked. Honest to god smile with like all teeth and wrinkling at the corner of his eyes. 

Harry had not been okay since. How dare Voldemort smile so pretty, the bastard?

As if hearing his thoughts, there was a little smile on Tom’s face as they faced each other to, finally, get onto the handfasting. Harry’s right hand was taken into Tom’s left. A white ribbon was drapped about their hands and the officiant -thankfully not Dumbledore - took out his wand. 

“To have, to hold, to love, to learn, through prosperity through poverty through joy through dispair by the blessings of the goddesses you are bound.” The officiant tapped Tom’s ring finger and the ribbon turned green, tightening slightly. 

“To have, to hold, to love, to learn, through prosperity through poverty through joy through dispair by the blessings of the goddesses you are bound.” The officiant tapped Harry’s ring finger. This time the ribbon turned red, tightening more. 

“Forever and a day, I will love you with my very last breath. I will protect you until my magic runs dry. I wed you, Harry James Potter, and may our souls become one.” Tom recited, the ribbon turning a brilliant gold, tightening until their hands were firmly joined. 

“Forever and a day, may your cup never run empty, your bed empty nor your heart unloved. I give you my heart, Tom Marvolo Riddle, and have yours in return.” Harry said softly, the ribbon turning silver and tightening to a painful level. 

“As witnessed by myself and this congregation, by the power vested in me by Mother Magic, I now declare you husbands. My Magic bless you both.” The officiant flicked his wand and in a shower of sparkles, the ribbon split in two and snaked around Tom and Harry’s fingers and formed into platinum bands around their ring fingers. 

Harry didn’t get a chance to admire the ring as Tom suddenly pulled him close and kissed him and everything seemed to just fall away as their friends and followers all cheered. 

* * *

Everything just blurred after that. Person after person offering congratulations. Molly sobbing all over Harry and managing to catch Tom with a hug too [Harry wished he had a camera to capture Tom’s mix of ‘what even is this?’ and ‘getoff me you ruddy woman’ all over his face.]. Sirius already drinking. Malfoy Sr trying and failing to hide his incredulity that this had actually come about without a hitch. Hermione jumping Harry with a hug and also reminding him that just because he’s married, he better not slack off at school. Snape giving the most moody backhanded congratulations that Harry was impressed he managed to pull it off.

Beside him is Tom, his new husband. 

He guessed it’s kind of weird- he hasn’t graduated school yet and here he is, married. Married to Voldemort of all people. 

But it seems alright for now. They will be alright for now. 

If the letters they exchanged was anything to go by, things were looking up.  

* * *

“Wow, I have never seen the ocean before. This place is so pretty!”

Tom smiles from his place on the bed as Harry explores their penthouse honeymoon suite in Spain. As much as he had rather stayed home since he had a lot of work to do, the smile on Harry’s face made it worth it. 

“We will be here until the day after New Year’s so we can go exploring if you like,” he says, beginning to take off the many layered robe. It’s too bloody hot in Spain for robes meant for the dead of winter in London. 

“Funny, I thought we would be shagging the whole time,” Harry says absentmindedly before flushing. That draws a chuckle from Tom.

“We could do that if you like but we do have to eat sometime.” Tom shoots Harry a sultry look and it’s super effective in making the teen flush even more. 

“Phew, it’s hot here!”

“Come over here and let me take off your robes.”

Harry scurries over, to Tom’s increased amusement which turns to pleasure as he slowly strips the boy of the heavy outer robe, the silky inner robe and, after a pause, the dark silver dress shirt that makes Harry’s eyes look even more luminous than usual. 

Harry had an alright body, on the cusp of manhood with a skinny gawkiness that came from growing too fast and having too little food. Little scars here and there littered his body and tom leaned forward to kiss each one. 

Harry took a deep shuddering breath as Tom flicked his tongue at a dark nipple that puckered to attention. Thin fingers clutched at his clothed shoulders as he slowly worked his way up to Harry’s neck, licking and nipping along the way. 

“T-tom…” Harry’s voice was breathy as Tom pulled him closer to explore the contours of his ear and switching to the other side of his neck. 

“Hmm?” 

“You’re still clothed.”

“Right then, I better change that.”

* * *

Harry stared up at Tom, his legs spread apart. They had made it to the bed after Tom had taken off his own clothes. Harry reached up and ran a hand down Tom’s body from his neck to about his navel which was as far as Harry could reach without sitting up.

“You have no scars.” He said softly.

“The benefits of using a rebirthing ritual,” Tom smirked before leaning down to kiss any further questions away. They both moaned as their cocks came in contact, the filthy grind of skin heating things back up. 

Tom’s hands gripped Harry’s hips tightly as he slowly ground against Harry despite the teen wanting to go faster. Harry whined against Tom’s mouth and the older man slid his hands down to grip Harry’s ass, pressing them even closer together. 

Harry could feel pleasure coiling tighter and tighter in his stomach, the very edge of orgasm...almost...just...there!

Harry ripped his mouth away from Tom’s, jerking as he suddenly came. Panting he rested his head back on the pillow, a blush coming to his face but mercifully hidden by the flush of orgasm overtaking his features. 

“That was lovely. Let’s do have a few more.” 

* * *

Tom ran a hand down Harry’s back as the boy laid on his stomach. It would be far more romantic to be face to face but honestly, face down was better for Harry if the boy truly wanted to go exploring tomorrow.

His hand went further down to cup that delightful seeker’s arse Harry was sporting. Tom wasn’t a fan of Quidditch but the body of the players were quite delightful.

Sliding his thumb up between the rounds of Harry’s cheeks, Tom parted them to see the furled prize within. He licked his kips, contemplating having a taste but that can happen another time. He pressed his thumb against the entrance of Harry’s ass and listened to the soft groan the boy breathed into the pillow. 

A quiet spell and lube was dripping down, down, down into Harry’s arse and dribbling over his balls, leaving them shiny. Reaching out, he played with the tight scrotum while he worked his index finger into the lube covered entrance. 

He listened hard to the sounds Harry made as he added 1 finger then another and to be sure, yet one more at a slow place that had Harry jerking up to get him to go faster. But Tom wasn’t one to be swayed, taking his sweet time to work Harry to another orgasm. 

The gasps of his name. 

The shudders of the sweat drenched body before him.

The way Harry would rock his hips.

The hot clench of Harry’s muscles around his fingers. 

Tom took this all in, giving Harry more and more until the teen cried out and came over the sheets once more. As his body went lax, Tom slicked on a bit of lube over his cock and slid home. 

* * *

Was Tom too big or was he just too small?

The thickness of Tom’s cock felt like it was filling in all the empty places inside him, places he didn’t know he had. Maybe he was just new to sex but the position they were in, Harry laying flat on his stomach and Tom laying on top, just made him feel like he could feel Tom’s cock punching the air out of his lungs. It was so much. 

He was being smothered. 

He loved it. 

The heavy heartbeat of the man behind him, the bigger arms wrapped around his shoulders, the way Tom pressed kisses to the nape of his neck as he adjusted. 

He felt wanted, that nothing else in the world mattered to Tom but him. 

He would like to feel this again. 

And even more he would like for Tom to move. 

Turning his head, he messily pressed a kiss to Tom’s cheek, whispering, 

“Love me.”

So Tom did. 

And it was excellent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this reminded me that it has been like a literal decade since I have written smut and even then, it wasn't that good. All the apologies my dudes.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry woke to the sound of ocean water, a salty smelling sea breeze drifting through the windows and Tom’s face close to him. He laid there for a while, cataloging the strong brows, strong nose and thin masculine lips. A finger came up to trace over Tom’s prominent cheekbones and was joined by the other fingers as he ran his fingers through the Dark Lord’s hair.

Red eyes opened and blinked sleepily at him.

Harry flushed.

“Hi.”

Tom smiled.

“Hi.”

* * *

 

The next few days were spent exploring Spain. Tom directed Harry to the magical district and places of history that were destroyed by the Inquisition and saved by magic. Harry dragged Tom off to the beach to get a tan and play.

“This is the laziest I have been since…ever.”

Harry glanced up from the sandcastle he was building. Tom was laid out on a beach lounger, shades on his face and the short swim shorts had coaxed him into riding low on his hips. More than a few ladies and men had cast lustful eyes at the now tanned dark lord. Harry had to admit that Tom looked damn good.

“Maybe it’s a sign you should be more often. We should bring the kids with us next time we come here.” Harry said, thinking to add another tower to his Sand Hogwarts.

Tom snorted. “I like how you assume we will have the time for it.”

Harry grinned but didn’t pass comment, choosing instead to abandon his castle to lope over to Tom and sit on his hips. Tom flicked his shades up to perch in his hair. Unlike the muggles, Tom had found a spell to tan him all over without taking his clothes or sunglasses off so no weird pale tan lines for him.

“I don’t think they would be that bad.” Harry said leaning forward to rest on Tom’s chest. Arms came around to hold him close.

“Don’t underestimate the endless potential of children to get into trouble.”

“Careful, you sounded like Snape for a moment.”

Tom hummed, running a hand down Harry’ back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry yall. Tired, uninspired, about to be fired. Next chapter will be up friday night. I need some time to drink and think.


	10. Chapter 10

After a long week of relaxing, Harry and Tom returned to Britain.

And hit the ground running.

Tom called his Knights to him – a significantly smaller group but still powerful. Avery, Rowle, Nott, Crouch, Snape, Malfoy, Carrow, and Yaxley. There was an outer circle but those consisted of those talented but young and deep cover spies. The Lestrange brothers and Bellatrix was missing from the group as they were recovering from their time in Azkaban and Tom honestly didn’t have a use for Bella’s more violent methods.

Now, they were gathered in the parlor of the Riddle House, tea and small snacks around as Tom thought over what he was about to announce. There were small conversations going on among the Knights but once he looked up, caught the eye of Lucius, all side chatter stopped and they looked at him.

“It’s time to enact part two of the longer running of plans. Since even my own generation, the Wizarding World has severely lagged in terms of population. Very selective breeding aside, our number is shrinking fewer and fewer. Two wars, disease, this pureblood need to stay only with others they deem acceptable – these ends now. Granted, I am not asking you all to go after muggles or even muggleborns if you are supremely picky but consider this: the more powerful of this current generation and even a few behind it are halfbloods. Myself, Severus, even though he should focus more on his schoolwork, Harry,” Tom sighed that last bit drawing a smirk from Severus. As much as they can disagree on Harry’s actual intelligence and work ethic, it was indisputable that he was the more if not most powerful of his age group.

“I present before you a threefold plan. One to bring back squibs. Yes, it is bad that they themselves cannot cast magic but there are studies that show that they do bring about strong pureblood children. So, stop sending them off to the muggle world and leaving jobs that are menial open to them. You don’t need magic to do paperwork -no matter how much faster it is without it. Secretaries, bookkeepers, potion assistants, notaries, nannies for younger children, history teachers, librarians, so on and so forth.

The second being educating muggleborns. At the core of any hatred of muggleborns is ignorance. They are not told of our world, scorn our traditions then leave for the muggle world, a threat to the secrecy. So, let’s start identifying and educating them young. Have primary schools pre-Hogwarts in which they and our own children learn the basics like reading, writing, history, traditions so that by the time they are 11 and off to school, they know. Yes, there are some that will scorn our culture entirely. Instead of sending them back to the muggle world with knowledge of everything, lock their magic and modify their memories. Yes, it will take more skill than our current obliviators have but it’s a long going process.

Lastly, as a more personal project, all my knights that are capable, have a child. If you have one, have another. If you can’t have children, adopt. If you are completely unable to foster a child nor have the temperament to be a parent, I will find another use for you but the main goal is to grow our population. End blood feuds that are only held on by bits of dignity and forge new alliances.

We stand at the cusp of a revolution and this is the time to push forward and turn the tides our way.”

 

* * *

 

 

Harry, on the other hand, spent the remainder of his holiday quietly exploring Riddle manor, visiting Sirius and Remus and sometimes stopping over the Weasley's. It was on one of these occasions, he finally sat down and talked to Ron. The red head hadn’t said a word to him all day until finally with a great gusty sigh, quietly asked Harry if he wanted to play chess.

Harry did and after setting up the board and making a few moves, Ron finally spoke.

“Whatsit’s like being married?”

Harry shrugged. “Dunno. Like having a friend you have sex with sometimes.”

“Wizards aren’t my bag but that’s kinda cool.”

“We haven’t had much chances getting back since he’s busy and we’re waiting til I graduate to have kids but that’s fine. I like exploring his house and how he’s changed it from being a muggle house to being magical. Mostly he just had the lights run on magic, we still have muggle appliances even though they are like really really old.” Harry grinned, thinking Mr. Weasley would have fun tinkering with the various muggle gadgets left about.

“You would think he would toss it all, considering he’s…” Ron faltered, brain working hard on how to say his best friend’s husband was a muggle hating murderer.

Harry smiled at the attempt at tact and gave Ron an out. “He can be at the oddest times but he likes some muggle things like the old cars we found. I know he’s not tossing those and he takes care of the horses non- magically though they have had spells tossed at them and they haven’t reacted a bit. Animals are weird – either they freak out at magic or they are just so mellow about it.”

“Dad said that most animals can sense magic even if they can’t use it if they are non-magical breeds. Unless you do something huge like set something on fire or whatever, most of the larger animals won’t freak out. Smaller ones like cats and mice will but they freak out over sudden moves anyway.” Ron explained, putting harry in check, driving the blak haired boy’s attention back to the board.

There was a bit of silence as they made their moves.

“I’m no mind reader but you got a question you are worried about asking, don’t you?” Harry asked, not even looking up to see the flush that worked down Ron’s face.

“Uhm...well…oh bollocks it – How could you marry him, Harry?” Ron blurted. He tensed up as green eyes looked up to stare at him unblinkingly. There was a beat or two of that in which Ron was sure he was going to be hexed but Harry just smiled and sat back in his chair.

“Not going to bullshit about ‘true love’ or whatever but despite being literal heir of Slytherin, Tom just declared his intentions and decided he wanted to marry me. It wasn’t out of love or even something sinister – he wants to be Lord Slytherin and to do that he must have a spouse and kids. I fit his own personal requirements so he asked me. Since he sent that initial note, he’s been honest with me, looked out for me and I really appreciate that. We have had hard conversations like his hand in me becoming an orphan and some misconceptions that stemmed quite a bit from Malfoy and Dumbledore being gits. But we worked past that.”

“What is he going to do now? Like he said he disbanded the Death Eaters but no one really believes that bull.” Ron said, game forgotten for once.

“It’s kind of he has disbanded the Death Eaters – the mark is gone and the more violent ones have been captured and put in Azkaban by them being bad on their own. But he has his Knights of Walpurgis – smaller but more like politics and other shit that makes me sleepy. Mostly he’s gone back to what he wanted to do back when he was in Hogwarts – make the Wizarding World better and not taken over by the muggles when they inevitably find out about us. No murdering muggles and muggleborns unless they attack first,” Harry explained with a shrug. Really, that was a long lecture Tom had given him but he liked his abridged version better.

“That’s really bloody reasonable but I don’t trust it.” Ron said darkly.

“Okay.”

“Wot?”

“Okay.”

“Mate – “

“I’m not asking you to trust him out of the gate, Ron. Honestly, I am not even asking you to believe he changed that much. I do want you to trust me when I say I am fine, he’s done nothing to me other than the obvious and to stop being such a dozy git to Slytherins – and yeah, you do that. Honestly, you are like an inverse of Malfoy at times – bigoted, hot headed and really narrow minded. I would write it off as a pureblood thing but Snape is the same way,” Harry snorted, ignoring the indignant noises coming from Ron’s side of the board. “Just chill out a bit. If both sides give a little then we might actually get somewhere than sitting on the other sides of battlefields offended someone once farted near us and didn’t say excuse me.”

Ron opened his mouth several times to interject and make his point at the highest volume, thought better of it then ran an eye over harry.

“I don’t know what you have been smoking but I want a hit.”

Harry laughed and rejoiced in having his friend back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, this is a no bash fict and the upcoming chapters will be Harry bringing people back into the fold.
> 
> Tom's speech was actually supposed to be in the chapter where he explained why he dismantled the Death Eaters but tbh, why ask this of people he thought were contributing nothing to the gene pool as is so it got cut and moved. 
> 
> Thanks for the reviews and yes I do go through and read the notes you leave on your bookmarks. Back to the every day schedule tomorrow but now at this later time instead of early morning since I quit my job.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry walked through the halls of Hogwarts, ignoring the people staring and pointing at the ring on his finger. As much as he hated giving credit where it was not due, after the insanity that was his 2nd and 4th year, people talking shit behind his back didn’t bother him anymore. He still got a bit insecure but it calmed in the face of certain things like Hedwig swooping through the window to give him a letter from Tom.

Holding out an arm, Hedwig touched down and held out her leg for him to untie the weighty parchment there. He walked over to the window and moved Hedwig there and as he petted her, he read his letter.

Class had ended for the day so he ignored people walking about. Tom wrote about the process of getting the primary school started for young muggleborns and other wizarding children. Fudge was digging his feet in on not talking to muggleborns before they get their Hogwarts letters but with his biggest backer backing Tom now, the man was starting to fold. Adding to Umbridge being tossed in Azkaban for using a blood quill on children, Fudge was not going to be in office for much longer.

Tom responded to Harry’s questions on what to do with the current and past generations of muggleborns who were in the wizarding world or have left it due to prejudice, saying he will address that concern once he figured out what to do about it. He asked Harry to ask Hermione on her opinion on it aside from getting Wizarding Culture classes added as a Hogwarts elective.

On the current headmaster, he was being suspiciously silent for the moment since the wedding. The Order wasn’t meeting as much since Harry was seeing quite a bit of McGonagall but then Dumbledore could be meeting with his own trusted confidants. No, Harry wasn’t one to track people. He was more of a reactor- if Dumbledore proved a problem, Harry had no qualms about leaving Great Britain.

The rest of the letter was about this and that happening, the mountains of paperwork Tom had to attend to and various events they will have to attend come summer. Harry noticed that Tom studiously did not bring up the Dursleys and it was just as well.

Pulling his eyes from the parchment, Harry stared off into the middle distance as he thought of the scraps of the blood relatives he had. He wasn’t sure how he felt on them. Hypocrites. Thoughtless. Not a strand of sense between the three of them. A part of him wanted to rage, be angry but that was washed over by a wave of apathy that he had been feeling since that fateful morning.

He slid down to sit on the floor beneath the window, his thoughts circling.

He shouldn’t feel like this. He shouldn’t be so apathetic. Any emotion he tried to pull up – rage, happiness, pain, pleasure, it was snuffed out not long after it was summoned.

It was like something was sucking away his emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Er...you know that first tag after the relationship tag? 'Crack treated seriously'? Yeah, bout to get real serious next chapter.


	12. Chapter 12

The rest of the day was a haze. It was like he was screaming behind a wall of apathy. He moved. He ate. He studied. But ultimately, he wasn’t feeling much of anything.

None of his friends noticed, Hermione buried in revising for OWLs and Ron avoiding Hermione so he won’t be sucked into revising for finals.

He was getting odd looks from Snape but that was ignorable.

It came to a bit of a head when the meeting with McGonagall for 5th year advisement rolled around.

“Come in Harry. You do know what this is for, correct?” She said, taking a seat behind her desk after Harry had settled in a seat before her.

“Yes, though I don’t know what you mean by advisement.”

“Before committing to OWLs all 5th years are given career advisement so they may pursue the classes that may help them in a wanted career. However personally I may think we should do this 3rd year before choosing electives,” Her Scottish brogue strengthened as her ire was made clear but reverted as she continued, “there is nothing for it now and we will continue. Hogwarts is usually a funnel for Aurors and other Ministry work but there are plenty of careers out there from shop keeps to wandmakers to restaurateurs, clothiers, healers, teachers and more. It’s a matter of what grades you have gotten in classes so far.”

She pulled out his academic record after handing over pamphlets to him that detailed more than a few careers. Harry took the pamphlets but his mind was slipping away.

His future? What future? He knew he was with Tom and that they were going to have children but what did he do in-between? Be a housewife? Work from home? He felt himself going cold.

What was he doing? What will he do? What did he want out of life?

“You are very strong in Defense Against Dark Arts and most of the other wand based classes but not much to speak of in History, Divination, Herbology or Potions. Your Care of Magical Creatures grade is quite high. My initial advisement is either to go into being an Auror or being a Defense Master and Security Advisor though to that level it’s best to take classes in ancient runes since there are much security measures that are ward bound.”

What was happening?

McGonagall’s voice was fading out.

“Auror was….like your father…..married…..ancient runes….Mr. Potter? Harry? Harry!”

* * *

“You could not have told me before now your worries, Severus?”

Severus bowed his head, his features hidden behind a curtain of black. He was ashamed. He saw the Potter, now Riddle, boy crumbling within, something screaming behind those eyes. He was functioning and functioning well. But there was something off.

Something askew.

And now this.

Harry was laid out in the Hospital Wing, his eyes open and unseeing. Connected to his arm was an IV, magically giving him the nutrients his body needed while his mind was away. Granger and Weasley had already left, Granger’s eyes puffy as they both admitted they saw nothing wrong and didn’t look too closely. Knowing Granger, she was in the throes of revision madness and Weasley trying to avoid her for that reason.

Neither noticed their friend breaking down.

Now Severus had to contend with an angry and worried former Dark Lord wanting to know why he was the last to know that his husband had a mental breakdown.

“I apologize my lord, I had assumed that he was stressed by the upcoming OWLs and thought nothing of it.”

Riddle [and that was rough to remember] looked away and at Potter, his hand holding the lax fingers. When did Potter look so small and fragile? When had those dark bags appear? Was it always hidden by the bright flame behind his eyes, now extinguished?

Lord Riddle sighed, reaching out to brush a lock of hair out of Potter’s face. “No matter. He’s coming home with me and I will find out what is wrong with him unless you have an initial diagnosis that I should know of?”

Severus looked up and thought of it.

“I did scan his mind when he was brought in and it felt like a heavy fog on his mind. Impenetrable and when venturing further, it was like being hit with sharp static electricity- not harmful but jarring. I didn’t sense any spell at play and besides that, P-Harry is too…strong minded to be bound in such a way.”

* * *

It took quite a fight to wrench Harry from Pomfrey’s grasp but in the end, he asserted his right as Harry’s husband and could bring him back to Riddle Manor.

“Looks like you will be taking your OWLs at the Ministry after all, Harry,” Tom said once he settled Harry on the bed. The room was his father’s but for now can serve as Harry’s. He didn’t want the memory of Harry lying so still to taint their shared bedroom but he didn’t want to be too far away from Harry if and when the boy finally woke.

To see someone so lively, still was unsettling.

Granted, Harry had his moments of quiet contemplation. Times when his mind turns back to the cupboard under the stairs.

But that was…not fine but much preferred to this.

Much, much preferred to this.

Tom sat on the bed and leaned over Harry. Harry slowly blinked up at him.

It was time for him to see for himself this fog Severus mentioned.

With a gentle hand on Harry’s face to hold him still and his wand in hand, he dived in.

“ _Legilimens!”_

* * *

 

Harry walked further and further…in was the only way he could describe it. He felt like he was walking in circles, endless circles.

Kind of like his thoughts lately.

Being mellow was all fine and good but this indifference was just smothering.

He kept walking.

Occasionally he heard noise from the outside world but that was like static on a badly tuned telly. Just background noise.

He came upon a bench.

On that bench was a bundle.

That moved.

He went over to the bench and picked up the bundle which moved even more fitfully.

Inside was a baby with no skin.

Bleeding oozing muscles that breathed fitfully, letting out wheezes and whimpers.

Ennui draping over him like a shroud, he didn’t recoil, just held the child tighter and sat on the bench.

“Hush. Shhh it’s okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, promise.”

He rocked the scarred child until it eventually fell silent, hitching breaths the only sign it was still alive.

If only he had something to care for it other than a thin blanket.

“Harry Potter.”

A cloaked figure stood before him, a tall scythe in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is build up for far later chapters and [SPOILER] kind of a fict I will be posting later once I write up the first 20 chapters of it. Same universe. So no, Dumbledore has nothing to do with this. He will be doing something far later though. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	13. Chapter 13

Harry stared at Death. 

And Death stared back. 

Harry blinked. 

And assumably, Death blinked back. 

“So…I wouldn’t happen to be dead, hm?”

“You would be the first to know.”

That voice sounded familiar. Very familiar but Harry couldn’t put his finger on who it sounded like. 

“Right then. So why are you here and why is this baby thing here?” Harry said, shrugging and gesturing at the child asleep on his shoulder. 

:In time, Harry Potter, in time. There is one more we have to wait on.”

“Who? Dumbledore?”

Harry suddenly got the impression that Death was smirking. Why, he didn’t know, but the eternal being mearely conjured a chair and sat. Nothing ostentatious, just a simple black  bar stool. The scythe disappeared in a puff of black smoke. 

“This dimension does not revolve around Albus Dumbledore. I will cull him, in time, but for now, he has nothing to do with now.”

Harry went silent as he turned that over in his mind. So Dumbledore has nothing to do with things but…

“Was it you causing my mellow mood?”

The figure nodded. “Yes, though this stronger suffocation was not my intention. I apologize.”

“But why? Why this apathy about things? I mean yeah, I was pretty productive and things got done but I felt like a prisoner in my own body.”

“It’s to move the ‘plot’ along, in a way. If in your normal mindset, you would have never married Tom and I would not be able to draw you here. Nor would I be able to draw him here either, right Tom Riddle?”

Appearing through the mist that surrounded them – Harry had a hard time seeing that since the area was all white – was Tom, wand out and pointing at Death.  

* * *

 

There was a few beats of silence, broken only by the child in Harry’s arms. Tom glanced at it before doing an almost double take and boggling at it. 

“What is it?” Harry asked, taking in Tom’s surprised features. 

“That…that shouldn’t be here.” Tom returned, wand still on Death as he inched closer to his husband. Death hummed, amused. 

“Yet it is here. It has been here since that fateful night 15 years ago. I draw you here to decide on what to do with it.”

“It can’t be! There are no records of such things existing in humans!” Tom argued. 

“What even is it?” Harry broke in, annoyed for once that he was being left out. That was a long time coming since Tom’s initial letter. 

“A horcrux. A splinter of Tom’s soul, anchoring him to the mortal realm, is in your soul. He previously had 6 others, one of which you destroyed in your 2 nd year via the basilisk fang. The one in you, as you have gathered, was unknown to Tom.” Death explained in a dry manner, ignoring the flinches that it garnered from the still paranoid dark lord. “All of that is irrelevant.”

“My husband having a chunk of him in me as a skinned baby is irrelevant?” Harry boggled but didn’t put down the now named horcrux. A fact that didn’t go unnoticed by tom who smiled just a little. 

“Infinitesimal in the face of what I have drawn you two here. You, along with two others, will soon be offered a chance to become more – to not so much rule but change the universe as it exists for you. I am Death, the Pale Rider, the Ender of Worlds. I am also maintainer of The Balance – for every life there is death. You, Harry James Potter, stands to be my heir and soon, completing the cycle. However I wish to intercede to that you may not fail as I have many a time.” Death conjured a seat, not a throne but a simple white chair. 

“Why Harry? He’s a bit powerful yes, but not overwhelmingly so and has little experience.” Tom asked, shortly, conjuring a seat and pulling Harry to sit with him. Harry would normally be more than a little hurt at the blank estimation of his abilities and Tom’s slight manhandling but he couldn’t help but agree. What was with the world thinking he was some sort of super teenager that can solve its problems?

“It’s the cycle. Yes, he is just a teenager now but in the face of the cycle, you all but fetuses anyway. There will be more turns of the wheel before Harry is up to snuff but I wish to and am willing to start training soon as possible since Death is quite a hefty job, to understate things a tad” 

They all went silent as Harry and Tom went over this information in their minds. Death was content to remain silent. The soft sounds of the horcrux drew Harry’s attention once more. 

“Er...Death, is there a way for the Horcrux to be removed. Not that I want to destroy it or anything but I rather it gone.” Harry asked, pointedly not looking at Tom who stared at him, more than a little shocked. 

“There are three that can actually be done in this timeline.” Death said, resting his face upon his fist, an amused smile on his lips. “ One is for Tom to feel remorse over the actions that led to the creation of that Horcrux and to incorporate that back into his soul, much as he has done for his others aside from Nagini.”

By the unnerved look on Tom’s face, Harry struck that off of the options list. 

“The second is for you to die, killing the horcrux as well. As you are my heir, the death will not be permanent and you will return, minus the Horcrux.”

Harry struck that one off too as Tom’s face became more horrified. 

“The last is to keep it and to have children. A horcrux is simply a device to keep someone from dying btu humans die twice, as once said, once when your heart stops beating and another time when your name is completely forgotten.” Death smiled and it was unnerving in it’s pleasantness. “Children are a horcrux in a way, carrying on your name and legacy. Passing the Horcrux on through the bloodline will ensure it’s continued survival and those traits Harry has gained from contact with it - parseltongue for one - will be ensured to be passed down.”

Harry considered this point and decided that this is their most likely path. They were already planning on having children anyway. 

“When we do have kids, would the horcrux just wind up being Tom reincarnated?” Harry asked, not sure how he felt about that. 

“No, it will reside in them much as the horcrux resides in you - influencing some of their personality but they are their own personality. Children, after all, are not clones of their parents as much as they may try to do so.” Death elaborated. 

“So if something happens to Tom and he needed to be brought back to life or given a new body -”

“Much of the same ritual as he used to get his body with slight variation. The tears of a lover and blood of a child is great substitution of using a servant and an enemy, respectively.” Death explained. 

“I have fail safes in place already-”

“Think of this as another then. We must not tarry on things that may or may not happen in this timeline for we are running out of time for this. Now, going forth, my intention is to train you in the ways of the balance. We will not complete it in this lifetime but it is a step up from  simply dropping the responsibility upon you.”

“Er...is there something I need to study or magic I should do?” Harry shifted the horcrux in his arms, noticing that the horcrux was no longer bleeding but seemed to start to grow skin from when they agreed to pass it on to their children.

“We will begin with learning the Language of Dead and Alive.  Tom knows some of the language of the dead but language of Dead is a bit different and Alive is a bit...like learning french after learning spanish. Similar but more haughty. No, you will not be able to show Hermione your books and she cannot help you study,” Death added in, making Harry pout. With a smile, he added, “ You may get assistance from Tom but he will be busy with his own studies.”

“What will I be studying?” Tom asked, still a bit wary but watching Death with an eye of familiarity. The way the...being...spoke reminded him of someone. 

“The Language of War and Peace. You know so much of one but little of the other. This balance is needed to continue your plans if you do intend on ruling Britain for more than just your lifetime. “

Tom sighed rather resignedly but did not dispute this pronouncement. 

“Now I will send you on your way,” Death came forth and removed the now sleeping horcrux from Harry’s arms. Tom didn’t look too happy about this but the easy way Death held the horcrux and said chunk of soul didn’t even stir from the transfer put him at ease. 

“You may request audience at anytime with me now that this connection is forged. I will see you soon.”

And in a flash of light they were gone. Death looked down at the horcrux in his arms who snuffled sleepily and burrowed his face into Death’s chest. His skin had regrown to a healthy pale color and already dark hair was growing in. 

Death smiled and was gone. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is something about being back in school that makes you want to write because you are avoiding studying. Working on chapter 14 now. :)


	14. Chapter 14

Harry blinked and for a beat stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. It was not the Hospital Wing nor Privet Drive. The Burrow had cracks here and there so that was out and as for Gryffindor tower, he would be seeing cloth. 

Where was he?

He turned his head to look at Tom, who still had his eyes closed. If he was awake or not, that's another story. 

One way to find out. 

“Tom?”

The eyes remained closed. “Yes, Harry?”

“That wasn’t a dream, was it?”

An eye opened to survey him. “I know we share minds on occasion but in this case, I highly doubt it.”

Harry sighed and turned his eyes back to the ceiling. Now that he mused on it, this must be Tom’s house, or rather their house. He was here before the ceremony and though he didn’t get a chance to really look at their now shared room yet, he could figure that the cream walls that were inoffensive meant that they were there. 

Harry turned on his side to face Tom. Eyes closed but not asleep, Tom looked tired. Bags under his eyes and his cheekbones sharper from assumably a lack of food. 

Did he really love Tom? Or was it Death ‘moving the plot along’?

He reached out a hand to run through dark chestnut hair. A single red eye opened to look at him before falling closed once more. Harry noted the fine lines beginning to show around Tom’s eyes and the flecks of grey here and there in his hair. 

‘Probably from stress,’ He thought to himself. 

Trailing his fingers down, he noted that Tom didn’t have perfect skin, a freckle and mole here and there. His lips were pretty thin and pale pink and his nose wasn’t perfectly straight - a slight bend close to his eyes from genetics, not a break. He had some light stubble which wasn’t obvious in Harry’s mind that gave Tom a slight roughness to him. 

Did he really love this man? This man who had caused so much turmoil in his life but had the potential to do so much good? He did want kids, Death didn’t change that. He did want to be loved.

But did Tom love him?

“Tom?”

“Yes. Harry?”

“Kiss me.”

* * *

Harry curled up on the bed, surrounded by paperwork and books. Tom had left to go to the ministry for various reasons and Harry was told that since he had missed a few days and OWLs has started, he would take his OWLs  at the ministry this summer.

Harry found he didn’t mind that too much. There was something about taking exams at Hogwarts that was mildly nerve wracking, especially with someone like Hermione who knows she did well but rakes the test over the coals regardless. 

Now he was spending his time looking over Tom’s plan of restructuring the education system. 

Originally, Tom wanted to just make a primary school so muggleborns can learn about the wizarding world earlier and for wizard raised children to meet other children - i.e. Draco’s complete inability to deal with people his own age. 

Then Tom talked to Hermione. Hermione asked about post hogwarts. Did people just start working or could they get a post secondary education. Snape explained that some take on apprenticeships but the process is long, and very expensive unless one had a sponsor. That aside, there aren’t many apprenticeships outhere open aside from gilded career paths like potion masters or ward breakers. 

So Hermione proposed a school to leverage the cost and availability of apprenticeships, a university so that masters can teach eagar students that can’t afford. The classes aren’t like hogwarts which have required classes - you just take the classes you want. 

While Hermione and Snape argued over the university, Harry quietly asked Tom about the primary school. 

For some reason he was just interested. Tom seemed to sense why and had left his notes and books he had pulled on child development 

Harry flicked through a book or two on the psychology of early education and ideas started to form. He had thought for a little while to become an Auror, apparently like his father and Sirius was but he hated fighting. 

He thought of being a teacher like Remus was but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to teach at Hogwarts under Dumbledore’s employ. A private teacher won’t help many children and he doubted he was smart enough to teach at the forthcoming university. 

But primary school. 

He could do that. 

Teaching small children how to write and read and to teach them small magic. He wasn’t too impatient and he could head off bullying without being too harsh. 

Could he do this? Really honestly, should he do this?

* * *

Tom came upon him cleaning up the notes and books, setting them aside and remaking the massive bed that they shared.

“You do realize we have house elves?” Tom leaned against the doorframe, taking in the way Harry’s arse swayed as he crawled over the stripped bed. 

“I know but I rather do it myself. Sometimes it’s great to do it on your own. “ Harry sat up, stretched with a little yawn. 

“I gave you those books so you would rest.” Tom walked in the room and with quick steps , stepped over to the bed and pulled Harry to him. Startled, Harry looked up in time to receive a very warm kiss from Tom. 

“I...I...I had a point but I forgot,” Harry sighed, resting against Tom’s chest. Tom grinned. 

“Nice to know I am effective in distraction.” Tom shifted so he was sitting on the bed with harry in his lap. “Now, I am going to assume the best and think that you at least skimmed the books I left. Do you want to get involved in the school?”

Harry looked down, studying Tom’s tie as he rolled his thoughts over in his mind. 

“I want to help. I don’t think I am brilliant enough to help with the university but the primary school...

“I think you would be fine. Granted, I have not known you long but you seem to have a great store of patience inside you. That’s what mostly needed to deal with small children - along with compassion.” Tom shrugged, Harry looked up at him with a smile. 

“You know a lot about kids.” 

Tom looked off, now a little uncomfortable. “Naturally I don’t have children of my own but children are fearless. They see a tall monstrous being and just want to climb all over it like a jungle gym. Most of my followers children, the rare time I saw them when they were young, were often unafraid and would climb up and sit in my lap or play around my feet or asked to be picked up - Draco and Lucius especially.” Tom sighed and looked back at Harry. “Draco, Bellatrix and surprisingly Narcissa were little banshees if they didn’t get their way.”

The mental image of the big scary dark lord letting a little blonde toddler sit on his lap during a meeting, the toddler sucking on a dummy while Voldemort tosses crucios for incompetence had Harry dissolving into giggles. 

“That’s hilarious. I had a worry for a bit if you would be mean or cold to our own children.” Harry sighed once his fit passed. Tom rolled his eyes, pushing Harry down to lie on the bed.

“Children will do what they want, especially the small not talking yet ones. Yes, we can push their behaviour this way and that with discipline and praise but ultimately, they are their own little person with their own values and we’re just making sure they make it to adulthood relatively sane, happy and healthy with a chance at lifelong success.” Tom settled down between Harry’s legs, magicking away his shirt and kissing the skin that was bared. 

“Wh-what book did you read that from,” Harry asked, biting his lips as he arched into Tom’s mouth. 

“I’ll get you a copy later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of muddled over this a bit but once I started planning the latter chapters, I was pretty good. Almost at the end of classes so this may slow down even more since I have exams coming up soon. 
> 
> I do have the last few chapters planned out and I am working on the sequel, I just need to outline it properly.


End file.
